SEASON COMES WITH PLENTY OF INTRIGUE
Trey Lyles went airborne for a one-handed follow dunk, sending onlookers into another round of oohs and ahs.
It was the final highlight of the Nuggets’ Friday-night scrimmage at Fort Carson, an opportunity for troops and their families to see some (vanilla) NBA ball up close and mingle with players. It was also probably the only public practice the Nuggets will stage all season, prompting a level of discussion and dissection that only happens in the preseason.
So let’s get the real thing going, shall we?
I’m stoked to begin my first season covering the Nuggets for The Denver Post. It’s an incredible opportunity and a big change after spending the past six-plus years of my career as a college football reporter for The Oregonian in Portland and The Oklahoman in Oklahoma City.
The transition has been a whirlwind. After covering four Oregon State football games in September, my first official day at The Post was Nuggets media day. Over the past three weeks, I’ve enjoyed getting my first glimpses of these players’ personalities and this team’s style of play.
The Nuggets are one of the more intriguing teams in the NBA. Heck, Denver boasts an exciting, free-flowing offense. Young talent is blending with a proven all-star in Paul Millsap.
Will that be enough for the Nuggets to get back to the playoffs for the first time since 2013 while playing in a stacked Western Conference?
To reach that goal, several smaller questions must be answered along the way.
How will Millsap mesh with Nikola Jokic, another unselfish big man with star potential? Is Jamal Murray ready to be an everyday point guard? Will Gary Harris live up to the lucrative contract extension he just signed? Is there room for both Lyles and Kenneth Faried on the roster at backup power forward? Can the Nuggets improve defensively — even marginally — after ranking as one of the worst in the NBA a season ago?
Coach Michael Malone recently said that his team is not “ahead” in any one area, but said he has been pleased with how the Nuggets defended the pickand-roll and the 3-point line during the preseason. Malone has consistently harped on Denver’s high turnover rate and heavy dose of points allowed in the paint. He’s not overly concerned about the rebounding troubles during the preseason. He knows the Nuggets can still score with anybody in the league.
So let’s get the real thing going, shall we? It all starts Wednesday night at Utah. I’m thrilled with the opportunity to
chronicle it.